Replies

1. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | Dec 27, 2000 12:34am | #1

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   If it's an even 1/4 inch, extension jambs may be the best way to handle it. With out seeing it, sometimes a few well placed hammer blows can fix it. You could also do real wide rabbits on the trim, 1/4 inch deep. If this is a new house.....why is it wrong in the first place? Maybe who ever screwed it up has a better solution....like they fix it. Jeff

1. 
   Scott_Chadbourne | Dec 27, 2000 01:05am | #2

   *Charlie, You are apparenty trying to use 4-9/16 jambs when a wider width is required such as 5-1/4 . You can use 1/4x11/16 [3/4 nom.] screen bead or if you are further off than 1/4" you can try some parting stop that is 1/2 x 11/16. See if your supplier will exchange the door units for ones with wider jambs. The person who did the width and hand check on the doors needed to confirm the jamb thickness before the units were ordered. I always write it on the hinge side jack stud with a red lumber crayon. Scott

1. 
   Bucksnort_Billy | Dec 27, 2000 01:44am | #3

   *Charlie, Rarely have I seen sheetrock flush with anything, much less door or window jambs. A lot of times it's not fastened around openings 'cause the sheetrockers are sure the trim nails and casing will pull everything tight. Try screwing any loose stuff. Jeff's right about well placed hammer blows, but usually it takes more than a few. If the casing's not flat style, and is back relieved, cutting the sheetrock back oughta work. Otherwise it's jamb extensions.

1. 
   wood_doctor | Dec 27, 2000 03:23am | #4

   *Charlie, BB has hit it on the nose, Me being about 45 mins from his neck of the woods, the sheetrock and window AND door jambs are never flush around here either.....be careful with the hammer blows, they ocxcasionally work...more often dont...do NOT use hammer blows if they are vinyl windows, alot of times the jamb you are missing is from bunched up wrap and button nails holding the ext. molding out. Determine if the problem is in the width of the jambs, or something holding the windows out. If the jamb width is wrong, definately use jamb extensions... if not,there is really no good solution, other than cutting the rock down at the edge and squeezing the S*** out of them until you can get within cauling distance. Another thing to try, that seems to work very well on wood windows is...put a screw into the jamb prpendicular to the wall...leave about 1/2 inch of screw shinin...hook your hammer claw around the screw head and gently pull the jamb in using a block on the wall as your fulcrum ...you may have to do this in more than one place, but it usually works. Sometimes this trick will pull the whole window in ( usually because there are no nails in the window )....or sometimes it seperates the jamb from the brick mold on the outside, leaving your caulking to the outside.... good luck ...doc

1. 
   Matt_G. | Dec 27, 2000 03:32am | #5

   *Dito about what Billy and Jeff said about it never being flush, hammer blows, and screwing it down. I think that part of it may be caused by rockers who attach the board and then come back later and cut out for the openings later. Or the poly opening wrap could be holding it out. Also, it can occur when the wall is not plumb, and the door, etc is set plumb. Another contributor could be the exterior sheathing is not down tight to the studs, and therefore the brickmold on doors, etc, being help out by the sheathing - but that's more doubtful. What I've also noticed is that the drywall seems to tend to stick out more toward the top of the openings. Another thing is that the casing really doesn't have to sit perfectly flat against the wall & jamb extension, and thereby can hide some of this problem - especially if you are talking paint grade trim.This is a very common problem although this is the first time I've seen it discussed here.

2. 
   Mark_"if_I_were_a_carpenter | Dec 27, 2000 06:34am | #6

   *Charlie, if your windows are wood-jamb with a vinyl nailing fin, which seems to be most of the windows today, then what I always do is sort of similar to what wood doctor was talking about. First run a screw straight into the jamb at one of the corners, make sure the screw is more than 1/4" from the inside face of the jamb so that the hole will be covered by your trim when you are finished. Next shim between the window jamb and the framing. Now, hook your hammer on the screw and pry the window in until it is flush with the sheetrock and nail through the jamb into the framing. Repeat this on all four corners. I've seen many carpenters just go around the window smashing the sheetrock down with their hammer and then casing it, this will work and they will usually get a nice tight fit on the miters, however.... with the seasonal changes if that window is left with just the nailing fin holding it onto the house it will move in and out and those tight miters will open up after as little as a few months. I have seen it happen countless times. This little trick really doesn't take that much extra time, it makes it ever so much easier to case out the window and it will insure that your window and the trim around it will stay put. Exterior doors is another matter altogether, I have met very few framing carpenters who will take the time to install a door properly. mostly they will just nail it through the brick mould and call it "done" . I usually will just tear out the door and reinstall it so that it is flush with the interior sheetrock. (again it winds up being a lot easier and less time consuming than fighting with something that is not flush.) Now as for any problems with interior doors not being flush, Scott pretty much covered that for you. Heed his advice. Lastly... Before you framers out there start jumping all over me and getting all indignant 'n stuff. Let me just say, if you are the guy who does as I said and just plumbs the door and nails off the brick mould, then "shame on you!" However, if you actually do install doors correctly, shim and nail the jambs, and run long screws through the hinges etc. then I applaud you! Thank you for your professionalism! Maybe you can come over here to my neck of the woods and frame something that I can trim out!

3. 
   Davo_ | Dec 27, 2000 07:26am | #7

   *Charlie,Ditto with Scott & Jeff. Smash it down with a hammer; or use an auto body rasp tool( the kind most drywallers use to smooth drywall edges... a couple of bucks at the local hardware store) and file the drywall down. Cut the drywall first with a razor knife, and then finish up with the rasp. 1/4 inch is no big deal. You could file down a whole doorway in this manner in less than 2 minutes.As for what Mark Bowles said concerning the window trick; never done that. It sure won't work on doors.If you really don't want to mess with altering the drywall, then rabbets or dadoes in the casing will also work.Davo.

4. 
   Jerry_G. | Dec 27, 2000 05:44pm | #8

   *I find in my situations the problem is caused by the drywallers not nailing around the openings as much as they need to during the hanging process.Then when the drywall addhsive cures i'm unable to draw the board in tightly.Unfortunatly I had to start stopping at the job the day they hang to check the work.After constant reminders the learned to nail it off as needed.---PROBLEM SOLVED

5. 
   L._Siders | Dec 27, 2000 08:29pm | #9

   *Ditto on what has been said.. Casing can bridge up to about 5/32nds. A sureform rasp does the trick..

6. 
   Bucksnort_Billy | Dec 28, 2000 01:22am | #10

   *Hey Doc, Come by and see me sometime, and bring your medication. I had to deal with loose sheetrock at some stairstringers today, and I need some medicine.I was talking about whopping the sheetrock if it is in past the jambs In agreement on gently tapping offensive window frames to bring them in, or doing both the screw things.Damn sheetrockers!

2. 
   Charlie_Peterson | Dec 28, 2000 01:22am | #11

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   Does anyone have any tricks of the trade for trimming out around doors and windows where the drywall sticks past the jamb. We are getting ready to trim out our new house and the drywall is past the jamb in some placed by as much as a 1/4 inch. I have cut the drywall in the past and used a chisel to scrape the drywall flush but this is very time consuming. Help!!!